with, placed the other to a prison till it was more convenient to deal with him.

Fortune now smiled for a short period on the King. When the Long Parliament had done its work so thoroughly, differences arose among the members, and many felt satisfied with the reforms that had been achieved. Public opinion was rapidly inclining to the King's side, and the royal family were even becoming popular with the nation, when, in January, 1642, Charles ventured upon the rashest of all his actions-the impolitic attempt to arrest the Five Members.

Never did monarch take a more unfortunate step. It was the prelude to civil war. The Five Members sought refuge among the citizens of London, who were devoted to their cause; the populace uttered menacing cries before the gates of Whitehall, and everybody saw that matters had reached a crisis. The King, escaping in dread and dismay from the palace, found his way to York; and no appeal remained save to the God of battles.

The royal cause was by no means hopeless. Charles was not, indeed, an Englishman, and he had no hereditary claim on the hearts of his subjects. But he wore the crown and occupied the throne of those who had made England great; and many men of ancient blood and historic name deemed it their duty to fight for the crown, even if it hung upon a bush. The joyous, hearty Cavaliers, readily left their ancient halls and old manor-houses, and hastened with loyal eagerness to

strike for Church and King. Among these figured influential noblemen, worthy in all respects of leading Englishmen to battle, and ready to dare all in the King's cause.

The royal standard was set up at Nottingham, and civil war began. Robert Bertie, Earl of Lindsey, commanded the royal troops; and that Earl of Essex, who in boyhood had been one of the companions of Prince Henry, and whose Countess had disgraced the great name of Devereux, was placed at the head of the Parliamentary army. For a time the King and Parliament stood facing each other, as if irresolute to strike. At length, in October, blood was shed at Edgehill. During the first year the Royalists had the advantage. Victorious at Edgehill, Charles took Barnsbury, and entered Oxford in triumph; and the fall of the illustrious John Hampden at Chalgrove, while heading a charge against Rupert's fiery cavalry, deprived the Parliament of their ablest leader.

But ere long fortune changed sides. The King, influenced by his nephew, Prince Rupert, odious to the nation as a foreigner, gradually lost ground; and in 1645, after being defeated by Cromwell at Naseby, found his situation so desperate, that he delivered himself up to his countrymen. The Scots, for a sum of money, surrendered Charles to Parliamentary Commissioners, and the ill-fated man was imprisoned in Carisbrooke Castle.

When matters reached this stage, Henry of Oat

lands, who was called by courtesy Duke of Gloucester, because the King intended to give the royal boy that title, was committed to the care of the Earl of Northumberland, and lodged in St. James's Palace, along with the Duke of York and the Princess Elizabeth.

As for the other members of the royal family, they were no longer in England. At the opening of the war, Henrietta Maria sailed for Holland with her eldest daughter, who had married the Prince of Orange. The Queen returned with reinforcements from the Continent. But when affairs became gloomy, she was induced to repair to France, and parted with her husband, never to meet again. About the same time the Prince of Wales left the shores of England. In the spring of 1645, the King, who was then at Oxford, resolved to send his son into the West, in order, as he said, "to unboy him, by putting him into some action, and acquaintance with business out of his own sight." Accordingly the father and the son parted, and the Prince found his way to Jersey.

Gloucester, however, remained with the Duke of York and the Princess Elizabeth; and the King, after being seized by Cornet Joyce, and placed in the power of the Parliamentary army, requested that he might have an interview with his family. Some objections were at first raised, for the House of Commons apprehended that the army might take possession of the children. But General Fairfax gave his word that they

should be returned to St. James's, and at length the matter was arranged. At the beautiful little village of Caversham, near Reading, the meeting took place; and so affecting was the interview between Charles and his young, helpless children, that Cromwell, who was present, shed tears of compassion.

About this time the Duke of York contrived to escape from England. After supper one evening, while Gloucester and the Princess Elizabeth were pursuing their childish sports, James suddenly, without cloak or coat, slipped down stairs, opened the door of the gardens, escaped into St. James's Park, found his way through Spring Gardens, got into a hackney coach, eluded the vigilance of his keepers, and, disguised as a woman, found means of reaching the Continent in safety. Thus it happened, that when Charles, after having been condemned to die, was allowed an interview with his family, Gloucester and the Princess Elizabeth only remained in England.

It was the 29th of July, 1649, and the scaffold on which Charles was to be beheaded was erecting in the street before the windows of Whitehall, when the royal children were brought from Sion House to St. James's to take their farewell of the King, and receive his blessing. The Princess, who, from her years, was most sensible of her father's condition, appeared sorrowful, and shed many bitter tears; and the little Duke, seeing his sister weep, manifested the utmost grief. The King raised his children from their knees, and